Appliance for inserting piston rings or the like in their grooves or removing them therefrom



Aug. 7. 1923. 1,464,056

R. ALLEN APPLIANCE FOR INSERTING PISTON RINGS O THE LIKE IN THEIR GROOVES OR REMOVING THEM THEREFROM Filed March 2. 1920 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Aug. 7, 1923.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 R. ALLEN APPLIANCE FOR INSERTING PISTON RINGS OR THE LIKE IN THEIR GROOVES OR REMOVING THEM THEREFROM Filed March 2, 1920 nrrmnncn non INSERTING ris'ron Aug. 7

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nonnntr ALLEN, woonoorn, NEAR sneer-"nu, nnsrann.

.REEIO'VING A lication filed Ell-arch 192-8. Serial No. 382,?94.

"UNDER IRQVISIGHS GE THE ACT I)? 3, 1921, dlSTA'I'. L, 1313.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that Bonnier ALLEN, a subject of the King of Great Britain and Ireland, and a resident of Chiltern Rise, il oodcote, near Reading, county of Berkshire, England has invented certain new and useful 11x1 provements in Appliances for inserting Piston Rings or the like in Their Groovcsor Removing Them Therefroin (for which I have filed an application in Great Britain, No. 124,285, dated 21st March, 1918) of which the fol-lowing is a specification. This invention relates to an improved appliance for inserting piston rings or the like in their grooves or removing them thereitroin and particularly to appliances in which a flanged ring or annular member adapted to be placed loosely over the piston ring is provided with means for opening the piston ring at the joint andthereby expanding thesame into the annular member thus increasing the diameter to such an extent that the said piston ring can be slid on or on the piston.

According to this invention a pair of external lugs inou ited on the periphery of the annular member one or both of the lugs being capable of sliding thereon circumferentially to, a limited extent, to permit the lugs to be brought close together by hand and movedapart by a spring in the case of light rings or they may be operatel for the same purpose by screw and nut mechanism, toggle levers or analogous means as herein after described.

Associated with the lugs on the annular member are internal fingers adapted to enter the joint or" the piston ring to expand the ring. W here one of the lugs only is movable one of the fingers is connected thereto and movable with it while the other is fixed, but when both lugs are movable both fingers are likewise movable.

. Means are also provided at a point. in the annular member diametrically opposite the internal projections or lingers for pressing the piston ring'towards the fingers to enable thenitoproperly engage in the joint or the ring, "and shallow retaining lugs or flanges mayalso be provided to keep the piston ring in position in'the 'annular member.

In the accompanying drawings Figs. 1 and 2 are side and end elevations respectively oi an appliance for inserting and removing piston rings, constructed according to this invention.

Figs. 3 and 4 are sections taken respectively at AA and B-{B Fig. 2.

Figs. 5 and 6 are end and sectional elevations illustrating a modified form of construction.

F 7 Fig. 5.

Figs. 8 and 9 are similar views to Figs 1 and 2 illustrating a further modified form of construction.

figs. 10 and 11 are alsosimilar views 'to F l andQ illustrating a further modified form of construction.

Referring to Figs. 1 to 4 the annular memher a as shown consists of a ring of angle is a section taken at A B-C section,- the larger internal diameter of which is such that when the piston ring is fully expanded Within it, both the member a and piston ring can slidefreely over the piston in the act of placing the piston ring in position in its groove or removing it. Fixed and movable lugs Z) c are applied to the periphery of the annular member. a and corresponding fixed and movable fingers or claws (Z 6 project into the interior of the ring the fixed finger (Z being conveniently formed as illustrated in Fig. 2 by an'extension or enlargement 01" one of arpair of rivets R employed for fixing the lug]; in position, whilst the movable finger or claw passes through a peripheral slot 5 in the member a into an opening in the movable lug c where it is secured so as to partake of the movement of the lug. A spring 7 interposedbetween the lugs Z) 0 is employed in thisforin of the appliance for moving the lug sand its finger e away from the fixed lug and finger Z) (Z the same parts being brought together by applying pressure to the lugs with the thumb and finger. As shown the movable lug 0 is guided on the members by side flanges into one of which a screw is inserted and projects into a guide groove '72 in themember a. The fingers (Z s which are intended to engage in the joint of the piston ring and bear against the adjacent ends of the ring are suitably shaped on their engaging faces to obtain grip or hold on said ends of the ring While opening the joint to expand the ring.

ton ringrin the direction of the fingers. It.-

will be seen that plunger 2' would be forced outwards by the expansion of the piston ring, but it may also be withdrawn by hand so as not to engage in the groovein the piston and interfere with the removal of the appliance after placing a ring in position in its groove. Tofassist in keeping the piston ring in coaxial relation with member a while the ring is beingexpanded,"lugs orfianges 7c er small radial dimensions are fixed on the part of member a of larger internal diameter.

In the form.v of construction shown in Figs. 5 to 7 both the lugs b 0 are mounted to slide on the annular member a? and fingers or claws d e fixed to the lugs project inwards through circumferential slots in the member a and move with the lugs which are spread apart by a spring f As will be seen the lugs in this case are retained on the memher a by inturned flanges b 0 engaging projecting rim portions formed on the member a- In other respects this form of the appliance is constructed and operates in the manner described with reference to Figs. 1 to 4, a piston ring Z being shown in position and engaged by the fingers or claws (Z 6 and by fixed flanges 70 on ring a Spring fingers 0 in this. form of construction hold the fingers of the ring against the fingers (Z 6 The modified form of construction illustrated in Figs. 8 and-9 is intended foruse with stronger or heavier piston rings. Fixed and movable lugs b? 0 are provided as in Figs. 1 to fl but in this case, instead of expanding the pistonring by the action of a spring, a screw and nut mechanism is employed, a screw threaded pin m being con- 7 inwards by hand instead of by spring and is retained in an aperture in the member a by a pin 1 which lies in the path of a shoulder formed at the inner end of the plunger by cuttingaway a portion of the plungeras shown. The lugs b c carry fingers d 0 and fianges'lc are preferably used as in the forms of construction above described. 7

. fingers or claws d 6.

Figs. 10 and 1 1 illustrate the application of toggle mechanism to movable lugs b 0" for operating them and their attached A pair of parallellinksm is pivoted to lug b and a single link n is pivoted to lug c andbetween links a, the centre pin being shown fitted with a push button as shown or extended .to form handles for operating the toggle levers. \Vhen extended the centre pivot of the levers is pushed in slightly past the line of the centres of the outer pivots in the lugs c to enable the toggles to be self locking in the extended position. As shown the guide flanges of the lugs are slot ted to receive guide screws 1) fixed in the member a. Flanges k and fingers 0 are preferably used in this form of the device.

The whole appliance inthe various forms described is inexpensive to construct, the various lugs being capableof manufacture by pressing or stamping processes, while the flanged ring or annular member can" either be produced by similar methods or machined from a tube of cast iron,steel or bronze. V

I claim V 1. A piston ring expander comprising a continuous non-expansible ring of angular cross section adapted to slide loosely over a piston and to receive the piston ring in its angle, a pair of relatively movable lugs carried by and extending outwardly from said continuous ring, fingers carried by said lugs and extending inwardly through saidcontinuous ring, said fingers being relatively movable when the lugs are relatively moved,

whereby to spread the piston ring into the angle of said continuous rlng.

2. A structure as specifiedin claim 1, each movable lug havingparallel flanges slidably receiving said continuous ring therebetween.

3. A structure as 'specifiedin claim 1, to-' gether with a spring interposed between said lugs for separatinglthem to spread the piston ring.

4t. A piston ring expander. comprising a continuous non-expansible ring to slide loosely over a piston and adapted to surround a piston ring, means carried by said continuous ringfo-rexpanding the piston ring, and means on said continuous ring opposite said expanding means for forcing the piston ring diametrically to retain it in engagement with the expanding means. V

5. A structure as specified in claim 3, said piston ring ,forcing means consisting of a pin passing movably through said continuousring. I i V In testimonywhereof he has aifixed his signature. 7

ROBERT, A L l 

